Women's Track & Field

Maya Weigel Nominated For NCAA Woman Of The Year

Jun 30, 2017

INDIANNAPOLIS – Pomona-Pitzer senior Maya Weigel has been nominated for the NCAA 2017 Woman of the Year award.

The NCAA Woman of the Year award honors graduating female college athletes who have exhausted their eligibility and distinguished themselves in academics, athletics, service, and leadership throughout their collegiate careers.

Throughout her time as an athlete at Pomona-Pitzer, Weigel became the most decorated athlete in both Women's Cross Country and Women's Track and Field. She ended her collegiate career by winning the 2017 National title in the 5,000 meter run, which is the first time a Pomona-Pitzer women's track runner has achieved the status of National Champion in program history. Weigel holds school records in the 800m, 1500m, Mile, and 5000m events. Weigel also competed for a National Championship in the fall during her Cross Country season as she took third place at the National Championship Meet to give her All-American honors for the third year in a row. Weigel also received NCAA West Region Athlete of the Year honors and was crowned NCAA West Region Champion as well as SCIAC Champion.

Off of the field, Weigel spent time volunteering in a neurobiology lab doing stem cell research and studying Alzheimer's disease as well as served as a teaching assistant in the neuroscience academy lab. Weigel also volunteered to work with the Pomona-Pitzer Hall of Fame to compile individual athlete statistics into the online database for the past four years. Weigel was also awarded the Pomona College Kappa Delta Award for demonstrating "qualities of character, intellect, leadership, sportsmanship, and proficiency in both athletic and academic pursuits."

A record 543 female college athletes were nominated by NCAA member schools from all divisions for the 2017 NCAA Woman of the Year award.

Next, conferences will select up to two conference nominees each from the pool of school nominees. The Woman of the Year selection committee, made up of representatives from the NCAA membership, will then choose the top 30 honorees — 10 from each division.

From the top 30, the selection committee determines the top three honorees from each division and announces the nine finalists in September. The NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics then chooses the 2017 NCAA Woman of the Year from those nine.

The top 30 honorees will be recognized and the 2017 NCAA Woman of the Year will be announced at the annual award ceremony Oct. 22 in Indianapolis.